A tribute to sceptic Barry Williams

For many years, Barry Williams was considered the face of scepticism in Australia. In the early 1980s, the Australian Sceptics were forming in Melbourne. Barry volunteered to form the Sydney branch and was joined by Tim Mendham. Tim presents this tribute to his friend and Australia’s Grand Poo-Bah of scepticism, Barry Williams who died in January 2018.

Transcript

David Fisher: Tim Mendham is a master of skepticism, of critical thought, and the Australian Skeptics’ conference was held last weekend. It was there that they launched a new award for critical writing, named after Barry Williams.

Tim Mendham: It has to be said, Barry Williams was a media tart.

For 20 years, he was the face of Australian Skeptics. As president and then executive officer he was everywhere, representing the skeptical movement across all media, and doing it with style, enthusiasm, knowledge, humour, and a deep loud voice.

From the very start of the skeptical movement in Australia, when he first put his hand up to start a New South Wales branch of what was then a Melbourne-based organisation, he made it a priority to build a profile in the media, not so much for himself as for the skeptics. He loved it, and as the media would say, he was good talent.

Whether he was dealing with an experienced commentator or a freshfaced journo, he always gave the media what they needed, and what needed to be said. He didn't stint on his honesty, as anyone would know, he was never shy in making his opinion known, but he treated the media with respect, even those who were partial to a bit of paranormal belief themselves, and there were and there are many of those.

And even when the journo, especially in those early days, would ask, 'Ah, but do the skeptics believe in themselves?' he'd smile sweetly and give a mild laugh, while noting down in his internal list of journos: 'tosser'.

He didn't take fools lightly, but he had lots of time for a journo who was honestly seeking the truth. Whether it was the fun and basically harmless stuff like UFOs and ghosts, or the more serious topics like psychic rip-offs, or the dark end of the spectrum, the quack cures, the pseudo-medicine practitioners, the anti-vaccination movement, the people who do serious harm to others, he would calmly and often repeatedly explain the evidence and the implications. And he did so with an intrinsically self-deprecating Australian sense of humour; his motto was 'Always take everyone seriously, except yourself'.

Whether it was science, medicine, skepticism, opera, jazz, theatre, science fiction, or cricket (especially cricket) his knowledge was extensive and impressive. He would regularly bet encyclopaedia salesmen that he would buy a set of their overpriced books if the salesman could raise a subject that Barry knew nothing about. He never had to buy one. And all this from someone who never finished high school.

Barry died this year. It was a sad loss. And in memory of him, of his knowledge, and his relationship with the media, Australian Skeptics has launched the Barry Williams Award for Skeptical Journalism. We've nicknamed this award the 'Wallaby', in memory of Sir Jim R Wallaby, which was the regular nom-de-plume Barry used for his more whimsical editorial pieces. The award will be given annually, with a citation and a $2,000 prize.

It will recognise the best piece of journalism (in any medium) that takes a critical and skeptical approach to a topic that falls within our remit, which is the scientific investigation of pseudoscience and the paranormal. A panel made up of experienced journalists across differing media has been assembled to review entries. Among them are Walkley Award winners and even Walkley Award judges.

The big issue, of course, it what makes for a 'skeptical' piece of journalism? Should it take a debunking stance, or a more general critical thinking approach? We prefer the second; the piece takes a critical investigative approach to a topic, regardless of which side you come down on, though we have to admit that it might be a concern if it came down in favour of the outermost fringes of 'woo'. The award certainly won't go to a puff piece, serious journalists only need apply.

The Wallaby will complement the Skeptics' other awards, which include the Bent Spoon, which goes to 'the perpetrator of the most preposterous piece of paranormal piffle', which was a phrase Barry created. There are also more positive awards, such as the Skeptic of the Year and the Thornett Award for the Promotion of Reason. The Thornett Award recognises a member of the public who may not have anything to do with the skeptical movement but who has done good work for clear and honest thinking and reason.

The awards were announced at the Skeptics Annual Convention, which this year was held in Sydney. The winner of the inaugural award for skeptical journalism for 2018 was Jane Hansen of News Ltd, who has written extensively about the anti-vaccination movement, amongst a lot of other pseudo-science topics.

We think this award is a fitting tribute to Barry whose affection, time, and occasional frustration with the media was a key ingredient of his larger-than-life personality. And it's something to remind us of a really good bloke.

Robyn Williams: Tim Mendham is executive officer of the Australian Skeptics. And he edits their magazine. So do look out for the Wallaby.